Crannchar
by C.F.Snape
Summary: In 1981, a new teacher arrives to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Then 1st year student, Adele Leavensop during her school years will grow fond of the new Potions Master and she doesn't know that her teenage crush doesn't end with her graduation. A/U, EWE, lemons
1. Chapter 1

**Crannchar**

 _Crannchar – Scottish Gaelic for "fate"_

* * *

 **Chapter 1**

Adele Leavensop was absolutely baffled when one summer day in 1980 an elder lady knocked on the door of their parents' home just outside London. The lady wore her hair in a tight bun and had a stern but kind voice. Adele – and her parents – will never forget the next two hours when the lady told them that the 11 year old girl was a witch and that she was not a normal old lady but a witch herself too. More precisely, she was Minerva McGonagall, the Transfiguration Professor from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and she was the on inform the Leavensop family that their daughter was accepted to the school.

Suddenly, everything clicked for Adele. She always thought that something wasn't quite alright with her. Sometimes she swore she could levitate books and other times, when she jumped up while running through the schoolyard, she jumped much higher than her fellow schoolmates. Now, she knew why. She was very excited. She always had good grades, she liked to read and learn and she was eager to learn how to do magic properly. When she visited Diagon Alley for the first time to buy her books and other supplies, she was mesmerized.

It wasn't a big surprise that she was sorted to Ravenclaw. Her roommates were alright, except maybe Caitlyn Rogers who was quite full of herself. She was very pretty, she knew that, and she wasn't shy to use her beauty to reach her goals. Adele never really understood why Caitlyn wasn't sorted to Slytherin instead.

Adele's first Hallowe'en was absolutely magical in Hogwarts. The Great Hall was decorated beautifully, the food was delicious and everyone felt festive. During dinner, suddenly an owl appeared in the hall and soared down to the Head Table. Headmaster Albus Dumbledore opened the letter the owl brought, frowned and whispered something to Professor McGonagall. The students stopped talking because it was very unusual to get a letter during dinner. Dumbledore stood up and left the Great Hall. McGonagall changed a few words with Professor Flitwick who nodded at her words and McGonagall also left the Great Hall. The students were looking at each other confused but continued to eat. By the next morning everyone in the castle knew what happened: Voldemort were gone and a small boy, barely more than 1 year old survived Voldemort's attack. The legend of Harry Potter was born.

There was another surprise that year: the arrival of a new teacher. At the start of the Christmas dinner, Dumbledore stood up to make an announcement.

'Dear students, please welcome the new addition to our staff, Professor Severus Snape.'

A tall, thin wizard with black hair emerged from the shadows behind the Head Table. He was young, around 20 years old, Adele assumed. He had a frown on his face, his nose was hooked, and he wore black robes. He looked like a large bat, Adele mused.

'Professor Snape was a Hogwarts student not so long ago but since then he earned his Mastery in Potions making him the youngest Potions Master since 1487. Since he arrived during the term, in the beginning Professor Snape will help Professor Slughorn but during the next schoolyear, he will take over Professor Slughorn's job as Potions Teacher and also as Head of Slytherin. Welcome back, Professor Snape!'

Snape thanked him with a curt nod and left the room.

* * *

'Only three more months, only three more months …'

Adele Leavensop murmured to the mirror in the bathroom adjacent to her dorm in Ravenclaw tower. She had short blonde hair, blue eyes and - according to others – a kind smile. She didn't think she was beautiful but she she looked OK with her average height, thin waist, toned legs and round breasts.

She was now 17 years old in her last year in Hogwarts and she couldn't wait to be finish school. She liked to study and she really enjoyed her time in the castle but at the same time she felt the urge to go away and start her adult life. Mainly because she really had enough of her roommate, Caitlyn Rogers. She got more and more irritating during the years.

Adele sighed and started to wash her teeth when she heard a shriek coming from the room. She dropped the toothbrush and ran to the room. She saw Caitlyn on the floor having some kind of seizures, foam in her mouth and a small bottle in her hand.

'What happened?' she asked her another roommate, Emily.

'She … she wanted to … a potion … to make her skin softer … '

Adele kneeled down to Caitlyn.

'Caitlyn, Caitlyn … Can you hear me?'

The girl's body shook continuously and she wasn't aware of her surroundings. Not really knowing what to do, Adele whipped out her wand from her pyjama pocket and cast a Stasis Charm at her. At least, it stopped the seizures. She grabbed the vial from Caitliny's hand, stood up and turned to her roommates.

'Bring her to the common room. I'll call help.' They nodded, Emily silently sobbing and Adele left the room.

She started to run down the corridors. At first she wanted to go to the infirmary to ask Madam Pomfrey to help but the infirmary was at the other part of the castle. There was someone who was more adept at potions.

'He will kill me, for sure,' Adele sighed and turned towards the dungeons.

~0~

'Only three more months …' Snape sighed and took a swig from the whiskey bottle. He didn't even bother to use a glass. He was tired and stressed out, he couldn't wait the school year to end and spend the summer away from the dunderheads whom he had to teach. He could swear the students got more and more stupid as the years went by.

He sat in a comfortable armchair in his private chambers when he felt a change in his wards and seconds later he heard someone banging on his door. He put down the whiskey bottle with a thud and stood up.

'Fuck' he said, hurried to the door and opened up with a swung.

'What' he barked at his visitor but he wasn't able to continue from the surprise. There stood Adele Leavensop, 7th year Ravenclaw student, barefoot, in a light grey t-shirt and flannel pyjama pants, panting.

'Miss Leavensop, you better –'

'Please, Professor Snape, you have to come to our common room, Caitlyn is having seizures.'

'Miss Leavensop,' he replied in a very low but dangerous voice, 'I'm nor the matron, nor your Head of House. I don't know what's gotten to you to come to for help but if you don't leave in an instant I assure you'll be expelled first time in the morning.'

Adele was still panting but now it was more because of her anger not the running. Snape was a teacher and his job was to help students.

'Professor, please, your chambers were closer than the infirmary. Caitlyn is very ill!'

'Miss Leavensop, go –'

'No, I won't!'

'How dare …' Snape started to reply now with a much louder voice but before he could continue something hit him in his chest. Adele showed the bottle she took from Caitlyn to his torso.

'This is what Caitlyn drank.'

With a frown, Snape took the bottle and sniffed it. His head snapped up.

'When did she drink it?'

'About five minutes ago.'

Without another word, Snape disappeared in his chambers only to emerge seconds later with a small box in his hand. He started to run and Adele followed him. When they arrived to the Ravenclaw, the eagle knocker asked to solve a riddle to enter the room but when Snape threatened it to blast into ashes, it opened. Caitlyn was lying on the couch, her roommates around her, except Emily who went to fetch Filius Flitwick, the Head of House.

Snape went closer to Caitlyn and flicked his wand.

'Who put her in stasis?' he asked in a low voice.

'I … I did,' Adele answered. The wizard nodded and flicked his wand again. Caitlyn's body started to shook again. Snape opened the small box he got with him and took out something. With some difficulty, he opened up the girl's mouth and showed in something.

'Bezoar', Adele whispered. The Potions Master took out a bottle from the box and poured its content in Caitlyn's mouth. He threw away the bottle and while moving his wand in a complicated pattern, he murmured an incantation. Caitlyn's body started to relax and after a minute or so, she was lying relaxed on the couch. Snape sighed and put down his wand. It was the moment when Adele realised that the professor didn't wear his usual clothes. He was in black trousers and a white oxford shirt. She could see his thin but slightly muscled torso. She felt herself blushing, her heart was beating in her throat and a now familiar tingling sensation started to build up in her stomach and somewhere slightly lower. She shook her head and cleared her throat. At that moment Professor Flitwick arrived.

'Severus, what happened?' The tiny professor hurried to his student on the couch.

'Miss Rogers drank a poorly brewed beautifying potion which almost caused her early death. She is alright now but I suggest to bring her to the infirmary.' Flitwick nodded.

He picked up his box.

'As for Miss Leavensop, she was in the corridors after curfew.'

'Professor, I just … I wanted to help her!'

'Is that true, Severus?' Flitwick piped up.

'She did ask me for help.' Adele wanted to say something but Snape stopped her with a wave of his hand. 'But she was quite disrespectful.'

'That was because you didn't want to …' Adele wanted to strike back but the when she looked in Snape's black eyes, she lost it. 'I … was … disrespectful … I think. Sir.'

Snape nodded.

'Friday evening, at 7, my office, detention,' and with that, Snape left the Ravenclaw common room.

* * *

 ** _Just a small story idea that popped in my mind. Will be finished in several chapters, not much drama, mostly fluff. Please, R &R!_**


	2. Chapter 2

_Crannchar – Scottish Gaelic for "fate"_

* * *

 **Chapter 2**

'You are so beautiful,' he murmured in her ear in his deep baritone voice. He kissed the skin where her neck met her shoulder while his right hand cupped her breast. She moaned and pushed up her hips to meet his. They were both naked and the sweat glistened on their skin. When her pelvis met his crotch he groaned. He was now sucking her breast while his left hand sneaked down between her legs.

'Merlin, you're wet,' he whispered and she moaned loudly when he started to circle his thumb around her clit.

'Please,' that was all she could say but he knew exactly what she meant. He slid down further on her body, kissing her soft, sweet skin all the way down. He pushed her legs further and she grabbed the sheets on the bed. With a feral grin he dove down and with a long lick he made her moan loudly. She was squirming, and he had to hold her hips down with one arm. He licked and sucked her clit and she was practically purring. He knew she wanted release and who was he to deny it from her. After all, he loved it when she screamed his name. He pushed a finger in her core and found her g-spot instantly. With the stimulation of that special spot and the sucking of her clit, she couldn't help but trashing around in bed, burying one hand in his silky soft hair and pushing him closer to her crotch, grabbing her breast with her other hand. Finally, she felt the orgasm crashing down on her harder than ever and she screamed out loud her lover's name: 'Severus!'

Adele opened her eyes and looked around. She was lying in her bed in Hogwarts, the curtains of her bed closed. Thank Merlin, she cast a silencing charm the night before – she did it for a while now. In the last several months she had these erotic dreams over and over with Snape which usually ended with her having an orgasm and screaming or moaning his name. That was something she didn't want her roommates to hear.

It all started when she was at home during the Christmas break and her parents had to go to some relatives for a few days. Adele had caught a cold, nothing serious but since their relatives had a new born baby they didn't want to risk her infecting the child. On her first night alone when the young witch was camping on the couch in the living room trying to find something to watch on the telly, she stopped by a film. A woman and a man started to making out, there was some soft music in the background, they were in a bedroom and eventually shed their clothes. They had soft and sensual sex and Adele knew what she was watching. After that film, she also realized that that certain TV-channel broadcasted only porn films. At first, she was embarrassed by the reactions of her body to what she saw in those films but she just couldn't stop watching them, and soon she started to enjoy it, very much so. It was the night when she had her first orgasm ever. And it was the night when she realized that the particular feeling what she felt when she saw and heard Severus Snape was none other than lust.

With a groan, Adele looked at her watch and saw it was 6:21 Friday morning, the day of her detention with Snape. It was too early to go breakfast but at least she could have a cold shower. She needed it.

~0~

'Relax, Adele, you're here for detention which you didn't deserve,' the young witch said to herself when she stopped at Snape's door. She just wanted to help her roommate, and yes, maybe she was a bit disrespectful towards her teacher but it was for the Greater Good. This was her first detention in Hogwarts and of course she knew that Snape was usually unfair with students, except with the Slytherins. She also thought he was a git but he was an excellent Potions Master and at least she could learn from the best. Adele checked her watch and at exactly 7, she knocked on the door.

Snape was sitting at his desk in his office which was connected to the Potions classroom through a door. Another door lead to his private chambers.

'Sit,' he drawled without looking up at her from his parchments. Adele sat down in a chair in front of his desk. Snape didn't say anything for several minutes and the girl started to feel anxious. The wizard heard her fidgeting in her chair and finally stopped writing and lift up his head.

'Miss Leavensop, I was thinking about your detention.' Seeing her face, he sneered. 'No, I won't cancel it. But I think you don't deserve hard punishment. After all, you just wanted to help to your roommate. You have to serve detention tonight and tomorrow, however, tonight instead of some gruelling work, you'll help me with the first and second year essays and tomorrow we will go to the Forbidden Forest to collect ingredients.'

Adele gasped from excitement. Going to the dark and mysterious Forbidden Forest with Snape! She cleared her throat.

'I understand, sir.'

'Good.' He pushed a fairly large stack of parchments in front of her. 'Here are the essays, there's a red quill. Don't be light hearted, Miss Leavensop, those dunderheads don't deserve it.'

'Yes, sir.'

Grading papers was not something that people would call exciting but for Adele, it was. Between two essays (she could now fully understand why Snape called the students dunderheads, their work was very poor) she threw glances towards him. The students made millions of jokes about his greasy hair and now Adele could see that it wasn't greasy at all. It was fine and shiny. His nose – yes, it was big and hooked, there was no way to deny it, yet, it wasn't something Adele would call ugly. His jaw strong, his lips thin but well-formed. All in all, he wasn't that bad-looking, although his nasty temper didn't help others to find him attractive. Adele did though. She smiled a little, and went back grading the essays.

The next evening after meeting in the Entrance Hall, they headed to the Forbidden Forest. Snape had a list of herbs he needed to gather and he told Adele that as 7th year student, she has to know how those plants look like and where can they find them. That didn't mean of course, that he left her alone in the forest, it meant that she had to stay close to him but looking for the plants alone. They stayed in the forest for hours, it was almost midnight when they started to walk back to the castle. They didn't talk much but Snape taught her some new things about the plants, and the potions he wanted to brew of them. Even if it was detention, Adele had a really good time. In the Entrance Hall the witch wanted to say good-bye to him but he insisted to walk her to the Ravenclaw tower, it was past curfew after all.

They walked in silence until they reached the door to the Ravenclaw common room. The witch turned to Snape.

'Thank you for walking me here, Professor.' Then, she saw something in his hair. 'Sir, there is something … in your hair.'

He reached up but couldn't find it.

'Let me,' Adele whispered without thinking, stepped closer to him and reached up pulling a small twig out of his hair. Doing this, she touched his hair briefly – it was really silky soft. Holding the twig she smiled at him, 'here it is …', then stopped talking.

He was looking at her with a very strange expression. She could see now how young he was, only ten years older than her but there was something in his black eyes that made him look tired and frail. They were standing so close that she could smell the scent of potions on his wool cloak. She could hear his rapid breathing and she felt like drowning in the dark pools of his eyes. Her breathing got faster, too, her face flushed. The wizard slowly opened his mouth, watching her deeply in her eyes – BANG! Both jumped and stepped back from each other. They heard the Peeves' laugh from a nearby corridor, apparently banging on suits of armours.

Snape cleared his throat.

'I have to go now,' he croaked.

'Yes, good night, sir.' He nodded, turned around, and hurried down the corridor, his cloak billowing. The witch shook her head.

 _'What the fuck was that,'_ she thought before entering the common room.

* * *

 **I'm practically finished with the story, I'll be able to update it every day. Three more chapters to go :)**


	3. Chapter 3

_Crannchar – Scottish Gaelic for "fate"_

* * *

 **Chapter 3**

'Dear students, professors, and parents! Welcome to the graduation ceremony of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry!'

Dumbledore's speeches were usually entertaining but this time Adele couldn't pay attention to it. The ceremony was by the lake, the sun was shining, and the air was hot and full of scents of flowers. Adele's dress robes were too warm for the weather and she could feel sweat dribbling down her back.

She was thinking about her seven years in Hogwarts and all in all, she was happy there. She got eight N.E.W.T.s which meant that some great job in the Ministry of Magic was waiting for her, most likely her friends would work there, too, and after the graduation ceremony she was starting a road trip with her parents through Great Britain.

There was one thing though that made her feel sad. She had to say good-bye to Severus, too. Since that strange night after her detention with him, Adele couldn't stop thinking about him. She was a bit surprised that her wandering thoughts didn't influence her test results. The way he looked at her, his scent, the heat coming from his body – it still made her dizzy. His behaviour towards her didn't change after that night, he was as brusque to her as to anyone else. Although later she learned that that Caitlyn's detention for using a potion bought from an unknown potion which almost killed her, was much worse than hers: the stupid cow who bullied her a handful times during their time at school had to scrub cauldrons without using any magic for two months.

She listened to Dumbledore's speech for a few seconds and she noted that she had some time before he starts to hand out the diplomas. Adele turned his head towards the professors and she immediately saw Snape. He sat right next to McGonagall with his usual scowl on his face. There were rumours among the students that he was closer to He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named than people thought but Adele didn't listened to gossip. He was a Slytherin and according to the unofficial student code in Hogwarts it meant he _was_ evil. Slowly, the Potions Master turned towards the young witch and catched her gaze. Adele's cheeks went hot and it felt like that they weren't the only two people on Earth as his black eyes pulled her in. Several seconds later, Snape turned away and the Adele shook her head slightly.

'Brian Appleby,' Dumbledore read out loud the first name on the graduates' list. Adele straightened in her seat and watched the Headmaster intently.

~0~

Adele was standing next to her parents who were talking to Professor Flitwick. Her former Head of House – she graduated, she wasn't a student anymore – was very satisfied with Adele's work in school and Mr and Mrs Leavensop were very proud of her. She was smiling but she didn't feel very well. She knew there was something she had to do.

'Thank you, professor,' her father said to Flitwick. 'I'm afraid we have to go now, we have a long trip ahead of us. Adele, are you ready?'

She looked at Mr Leavensop with a surprised expression.

'Yes, yes … Well … There's someone I would like to talk to. I don't see … this person around here. Would you mind if I look for … them in the castle, dad?'

'No but don't be late, dear.'

Adele nodded. She took of her dress robes earlier, she was wearing flowery summer dress and red flats. She walked in the castle, her steps gotten more quickly, in the end she practically ran to the dungeons. She stopped at a familiar door, took a deep breath and knocked.

Several seconds later the door opened, revealing Severus Snape, again only in his white shirt and dress pants. His shirt was unbuttoned at his neck and when Adele saw it, she unconsciously licked her lips.

'Miss Leavensop, I thought you already left.'

'Hello, Professor, I'm leaving soon but before that I wanted to talk to you. If you don't mind.'

He stepped aside and let her in, closing the door. She never was in his office during daylight before but now she saw that the office, while in the dungeons, had a charmed window which showed the lake and made the room bathing in sunlight.

'I'm listening, Miss Leavensop.'

'Call me Adele, please. I'm not a student anymore.'

'Very well, Adele.'

'I'm sorry to disturb you, Mr Snape –'

'Severus,' he said softly.

'Excuse me?' asked Adele confused.

'Severus. You're not my student anymore and Mr Snape makes me feel … old.'

'Alright. Severus,' the witch replied blushing. She cleared her throat and took a deep breath. It didn't really help since she could smell his scent again. 'I just wanted to say good-bye to you.' She was looking at his neck, were the unbuttoned shirt showed his skin. She gulped, stepped closer to him, and looked up in his eyes. 'I really enjoyed your Potions lessons. You weren't by far the friendliest teacher,' he scowled at that though there wasn't any other emotion on his face, 'but it was an honour to learn from the youngest Potions Master Hogwarts have ever had.'

'Flattery gets you nowhere now that you graduated.'

The witch rolled her eyes.

'I just wanted to tell you that even if there are a lot of dunderheads out there, there are some students who appreciate what you do.'

'Thank you,' he replied softly.

'And there was something else I wanted to do before I go …'

'What is –'

But Snape couldn't finish this sentence because in the next moment Adele's lips closed on his mouth. Seconds later she stepped back and she could see that he was utterly confused.

'I liked you for a long time,' the witch said in a husky voice, 'but I couldn't do anything about it. I was a student, you were my teacher, it wouldn't have been right –'

It was Adele's turn to be silenced because she felt herself pulled closer to Severus until she felt his arms around her waist. In an instant she circled her arms around his neck and their lips clashed. He touched his tongue to her lips and she opened her mouth. With a deep groan, he pushed his tongue into her mouth, caressing her tongue. She buried her hands in his hair, standing on tiptoes, while one of his hands slid up on her back and held her neck.

After several seconds of passionate kissing, they had to let go of each other in need of some oxygen. Severus' hair was dishevelled, Adele's face was flushed and due to the low neckline of her dress, the rapid rise and fall of her chest was visible.

'Adele … I can't … I'm not –'

'I know. I didn't come here to … to ask you to … have a … relationship with me. Or something like that. I just wanted to … I had these feelings for a long time and I had to … I felt that if I don't do this now, I won't do it ever and I would have regretted it.' He nodded. 'I go now, my parents are waiting for me.'

She opened the door and stepped out to the corridor. She turned back and saw Severus standing on the doorstep.

'Good-bye, Severus. Take care,' she whispered.

'You too,' he replied and watched her leaving.

* * *

 **Thank you for your reviews, I'm really glad you like the story!**


	4. Chapter 4

_Crannchar – Scottish Gaelic for "fate"_

* * *

 **Chapter 4**

'Severus, I know you're awake. Open your eyes and sit up, you have a visitor.'

The wizard groaned.

'Poppy, for the love of Merlin, why can't you send away Potter. I don't want to talk to him anymore.' He opened his eyes and the bright light in the infirmary blinded him for a few seconds. Slowly he sat up and scowled at Madam Pomfrey. She fluffed his pillows and he leaned back. 'And when can I go home finally? I've been here for 2 months now!'

'Yes, but you woke up only 10 days ago. You need bedrest until the snake's venom disappears from your body. Besides, it's not Potter,' she said smiling.

'It's Granger, then. Insufferable Know-It-All,' he huffed. His voice was still raspy after Nagini's attack but the wound on his neck healing quickly. He scratched his arm, he hated the itchy infirmary issued pyjamas. He hated to be in Hogwarts, he wanted to go home – if his house on Spinner's End still existed – and be left alone.

'It's not Hermione.'

'I don't care, I don't want to see another Gryffindor for the rest of my life.'

'How fortunate then that I'm a Ravenclaw,' a female voice piped up.

Snape turned to the door and couldn't believe his eyes.

Adele Leavensop didn't change much since her graduation 12 years ago when Severus saw her the last time. Her blonde hair was still short, her smile was still nice, though her body was more feminine. Her waist was still thin, her legs toned, her ass round but her breasts got slightly bigger.

Severus never forgot their kiss. At that time he still loved Lily very much but he couldn't deny that Adele was a pretty and smart girl and when she kissed him he couldn't resist to kiss her back. He was a young, heterosexual male after all. Since then he had some flings with female Death Eaters, occasionally visited the prostitutes in Knockturn Alley but it was only for sexual release not for sensual love making. He convinced himself that he will never love anyone else than Lily and he stuck to it.

Yet, quite frequently, in his dreams, a smiling young witch with short blonde hair was the one who pleasured him, who gasped in his ears and who screamed his name in ecstasy.

'Adele,' he whispered.

'Hello, Severus,' she went closer to his bed and sat down on a chair. 'I was afraid you won't remember me.'

'Why wouldn't I?'

'You've taught so many kids in school, sure you don't remember every one of them.'

'I do remember the ones who kissed me after their graduation,' he smirked and the witch blushed. 'Believe it or not, there weren't many of them.'

Adele laughed a little.

'I can see you're feeling better now.' She noticed that he didn't change much during the last decade. His skin face still pale, and his hair black, a tad longer though than 12 years ago. There were small lines on his face caused by not his aging but by the stress in his life.

'Don't exaggerate. This place is a hell hole,' the last sentence was addressed to Madam Pomfrey who smiled back at him and left the room. 'What brings you here?'

'I came to help to rebuild the castle. In the last two years I was working in America. When I heard about the Battle of Hogwarts and that the castle was almost destroyed, I came back to help.' She looked down at her hands. 'I wasn't here to fight the Death Eaters, it's the least that I help now.'

'You don't blame yourself for not fighting, do you?'

She shrugged,

'I feel like a coward.'

Snape rolled his eyes.

'Because you didn't come back to die? Merlin, you should have been sorted to Gryffindor.' She looked up at him and smiled at him slightly. 'Weren't you in the Ministry before?'

'I was, I worked in the Department of International Magical Cooperation. I helped to organize the Quidditch Worldcup. We put so much work in there, I was really proud of it, then came the Death Eaters. It was a huge blow for all of us and from then on, things only got worse in the Ministry. When a friend of mine offered me a job in an American wizarding school, I took it at once.'

'What did you teach?'

Adele smirked.

'Potions.' Snape arched an eyebrow. 'I was Horace Slughorn's apprentice.'

'I thought he was in retirement.'

'He was and he is but he stayed the same: when I told him about my work in the ministry, he took the opportunity to place another trophy on his mantel.'

'How very Slytherin of you,' the wizard drawled with a hint of playfulness in his voice. 'And what are you planning after the renovation of the castle? Going back to the US?'

'Well, just before I visited you, Professor McGonagall asked me if I could stay in Hogwarts after the summer to teach.'

'Let me guess, potions?'

Adele grinned.

'Yes. She said that you refused the offer.'

'Correct. I've had enough of teaching.'

'And what are you planning to do?'

Severus turned away and shrugged. He didn't think about it, it was still an uncommon experience for him to be free.

'I was in Hogsmeade yesterday and I saw that the apothecary there went out of business. Maybe you could …'

Snape looked back at her with a frown.

'Could you … if you have time, could you ask the owner of the shop how much does the rent cost or if he is selling it?'

Adele smiled at him.

'Of course. I am free today, I will go and ask everything. So you're interested?'

He nodded, she stood up.

'I'm really happy that you're alright, Severus. I was very scared when I heard that you got injured.'

'Thank you,' he whispered.

'I leave you now, you still need to rest.' She bent down and kissed the top of his head. She heard him gasp. 'See you later!'

Before she reached the door, she turned back to him.

'You know, the kiss we shared … It was my first.' Severus gaped at her, Adele smiled, then left the room. The wizard closed his mouth, laid back on his pillows, and when he shut his eyes, a small but clearly visible smile appeared on his face.

~0~

'If you don't buy it, put it down, Mr Stevens,' a deep baritone voice drawled and the 5th year student from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry quickly put back the bottle of dragon blood on the shelf. The student murmured an apology and scurried out of the shop. Severus Snape headed back behind the counter and didn't see there was another person in the apothecary he opened two months before.

'You still got it, I see' a female voice asked. He looked up and saw Adele Leavensop standing at the door, smiling at him.

'Thank Merlin, yes. These ingredients are expensive and dangerous, they aren't toys from Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes.'

The witch stepped closer.

'I'm pretty sure that the Puking Pastilles can be as dangerous as aconite.'

Snape snorted.

'How can I help you today, Professor Leavensop? Or are you just chaperoning the students?'

She pulled out a parchment from her robes.

'God, no. I need some ingredients for my inventory. Here's the list.' She handed him the parchment and he started to read it.

'I thought you knew that you can find half of the ingredients in the Forbidden Forest.'

Adele blushed furiously.

'Oh, yes … It's just … that I would have to wake up early or stay up late to gather them and this way … is easier. And your goods are of excellent quality.'

He looked up at her and snorted.

'And I also have an invitation for you,' she added.

'Minerva?'

Adele nodded.

'She would like to invite you to the Hallowe'en dinner tonight.'

The wizard sighed, put down the list on the counter and pinched his nose.

'Thank you for the invitation but I have to reject it.'

'Oh, do you have other plans?'

He picked up the list and started to look for the ingredients on the shelves.

'No.'

'Then?'

'I don't want to go.'

Adele followed him to a shelf in the back.

'"I don't want to go." How old are you, three?'

Snape turned around.

'I don't celebrate Hallowe'en since …' He grabbed a bottle from the shelf and stormed back behind the counter. Adele stayed at the shelf, gaping. A few seconds later she followed him to the front of the shop.

'You're still … You don't celebrate Hallowe'en because of … Lily?' Snape winced. 'Severus, it was 17 years ago!'

'It feels like it was yesterday,' he spat at her.

Adele ran a hand through her hair.

'Severus, that's not normal. You can't grieve for the rest of your life!'

'I can! AND I WILL!' he roared. The witch never heard him shouting.

'Can't you see Severus that there are people who are ALIVE and who CARE ABOUT YOU? Can't you see that they want to spend time with you?'

'That's their problem,' he hissed.

Adele shook her head and left for the door. Before she reached it, she turned back and Severus could see the tears in her eyes.

'This last two months … I thought we were friends! I thought that maybe we could be …' She sobbed. 'Do you really think that you're the only one who lost a loved one? I did too Severus, and guess what, it hurts like hell. And the pain will never ever go away completely.' Her voice trembled. 'It stays until the day we die. But the pain will ease and in the end it will be only a small sting in your heart. It means that you are capable to love but it doesn't mean that you're not allowed to love someone who is alive. It's not cheating, it's carrying on with your life.' With that she left the shop.

* * *

 **Only one chapter to go, I hope you won't be disappointed :)**


	5. Chapter 5

_Crannchar – Scottish Gaelic for "fate"_

* * *

 **Chapter 5**

'Are you sure that Severus won't come?'

Minerva McGonagall and Adele were standing at the door of the Great Hall.

'He said he has … other things to do, I'm sorry, Minerva,' the younger witch replied to the Headmistress.

'Oh, what a pity, it would have been great to see him. Between you and me, I miss his sarcastic remarks.'

'Good thing that I brought some with me then,' said Snape from behind their backs. The witches turned around and saw the Potions Master smirking.

'Severus!' McGonagall shouted and hugged the younger wizard. He patted her back awkwardly. 'I'm so glad you're here, now we can really have a nice dinner.'

Adele nodded at him and followed the Headmistress to the Great Hall. However, she couldn't flee from Snape because his seat was right next to hers. Luckily, on his other side sat McGonagall and she talked to him during dinner. The Great Hall looked magnificent with Hagrid's characteristic giant pumpkins, the live bats flowing under the enchanted ceiling and the tables crumbling with food. Adele ate her food quietly, her stomach clenched.

After dinner, the professors returned to the staffroom to have some wine and fire whiskey. Adele sat down next to the fireplace with a glass of wine in her hand, watching the flames. Suddenly a box wrapped in brown paper appeared in front of her. She looked up and saw Snape hovering over her.

'The ingredients you asked for. You left them in the shop.'

The witch took the box and put it down on a small rickety table beside her.

'Thank you,' she murmured and looked back in the fire. 'I don't have money with me now but I'll send it to you tomorrow with a house elf.

'Adele,' the wizard said softly, 'I think we need to talk. But not here.' She nodded slowly and they left the staffroom without anyone noticing their departure. They went down the corridor further off their colleagues and stopped by a window which looked at the lake. They watched as the moonlight danced on the surface of the water. Is the witch who broke the heavy silence.

'I am sorry for what I said, Severus, I was out of line.'

'There's no need to apologize,' he replied. 'Who did you lost?'

'An ex-boyfriend. He wasn't my boyfriend when he died but after the break-up we stayed friends. We were very close. He had … issues. I think he had depression. I knew that he had problems, he talked to me about it, but he also went to therapy. He said he felt better. Apparently, it was too late. He committed suicide. It happened three years ago.'

Severus looked at her. She was watching the lake, the full moon illuminating her face. She didn't cry, she had a stern expression on her face.

'I never stopped loving him and I never will.' She continued. 'He was a very important person in my life and I still have a scarf I gave him for Christmas. I miss him every day but I can't grieve for the rest of my life. I have to carry on. I want to fall in love again.' She turned to look at him. 'And you, Severus, what do you want to do?'

Slowly he lifted his hands and cupped Adele's face.

'I want to create new Hallowe'en memories,' he whispered and kissed the witch gently on the mouth. The woman kissed him back and he pulled her closer. Their kiss got more passionate, suddenly Severus pushed Adele to the wall, lifted her up and she put her legs around his waist. When she started to grind her hips, he groaned, one arm holding her up, one hand caressing her breast. She pushed him back a little.

'Severus, before we have sex in the corridor, why don't we go back to my chambers which are funnily enough your old chambers,' she said.

Severus nodded, grabbed her hand and hurried down in the dungeons.

~0~

The walk to the dungeons slowed them down. When they arrived to Adele's chambers and went back to kissing, their frenzied kisses changed to sensual though not less passionate. They slowly shed their clothes, enjoying every tiny movement, unbuttoning Severus' characteristic black robes, unclasping Adele's midnight blue bra.

With a flick of his wand, Severus lit the fire in the Adele's bedroom which gave the room a nice orange hue. She laid down on the bed and beckoned the wizard. He joined her on the bed and with a swift move she turned him on his back. She kissed him on the mouth then moved down slowly. She put light kisses on his torso, on his many scars. He was afraid that his scars would disgust her but she didn't them at all. She kissed every inch of his torso lovingly and he for the first time in his life, he felt truly happy. Adele reached his hips and spread his legs further so she could kneel between them. She looked up at Severus and smiled. She grasped gently his penis and started to move her hand on it up and down. Severus groaned. Several seconds later she leaned down and licked the tip of his penis.

'Merlin,' he gasped and bucked his hips. Adele giggled before taking his dick in her mouth and sucking it lightly. She pumped his member with one hand, while sucking on it and caressing it with her tongue, with her other hand squeezing his sack gingerly. Severus was panting hard. He put a hand on her head and pulled it up a little. Adele looked at him confused.

'Dear, what you're doing is absolutely fantastic but if you continue, I'm afraid, the night will end too soon. Come here,' he said and kissed her. 'Laid down on your back.' His voice was deeper than normally, it was like dark chocolate. Adele swore he could make her cum only with talking to her. But he had other plans.

He motioned her to lay down on her back and he didn't waste his time but started sucking on her breasts. Licking, sucking the nipples, massaging the globes.

'Severus, please,' she sighed and just like in her dreams, he knew exactly what she wanted. He abandoned her breasts and kneeled between her legs. He put her thighs over his shoulders.

'You smell wonderful,' he murmured, 'I bet you taste delicious.' With one long lick, he tested his theory. 'This is ambrosia,' he added. He licked again and again, then stopped at her clit and sucked it. Adele bucked her hips and buried her hands in his hair. He sucked again and she moaned. Severus repeated his movements until he could feel that the witch really needed her release. He probed her hole with one long finger, then pushed in another one, looking for that one special spot. He knew that he found it when he felt Adele's inner muscles contracting. Severus moved his fingers in and out, sucked on her clit and before long, he heard screaming his name and her body shook violently. He lapped up her juices and moved up to face her.

She kissed him but without saying anything, she guided his dick in her, clasping her legs behind his back. He started moving immediately. Their slow movements were gone. Severus was pumping hard, Adele pushed her hips up to meet him halfway. She pushed her fingers in his back so hard he was sure she drew blood. It didn't matter. He buried his head in to the pillow next to her head, she was moaning constantly, and he knew he was close. When he felt her muscles contracting around his dick, and she screamed 'Severus!' again, he let it go and with a deep groan he came in her. He pumped three more times and collapsed on the bed next to her. His hair and his skin was wet from perspiration, her body was flushed. Her eyes were closed and she smiled. Severus watched her and he realized that he never saw anything or anyone more beautiful than her before.

~0~

Seven in the morning on a Sunday guaranteed that Adele and Severus didn't meet anyone while she escorted him to the great front doors of the castle. They stepped out in the cold air of the dawn, shared a long, sweet kiss then Severus walked down towards the gates. Adele watched him with a smile.

'Is that Severus?' a female voice with thick Scottish accent asked her.

'Yes, he is,' the younger witch replied without turning around. McGonagall stepped through the door.

'Why was he here, so early in the morning? Is there something wrong?'

Adele giggled a little.

'Everything is alright, Headmistress. In fact, Severus never left the castle.'

'Didn't he now? Did he slept here?'

Without answering, Adele turned McGonagall and smiled at her mischievously. It took a few seconds for the latter to understand what was going on.

'Oh. Well, it was bloody time. But the next time – there _will_ be a next time?'

Adele nodded.

'Good. Well the next time he stays, tell him to have breakfast with us. There's no need to slip out from the castle in secret. We're not in the Middle Ages.'

Adele laughed out loud and followed the Headmistress inside. As she closed the great oaken doors, the first rays of the sun broke through the morning fog, lighting up the grounds around the castle.

 _[Hello Sunshine from Super Furry Animals playing in the background]_

 _The End_

* * *

 **Super Furry Animals is a Welsh indie rock band. Rhys Ifans, aka Xenophilius Lovegood from the HP-movies was briefly its lead vocalist. The aforementioned song appeared in the movie Snow Cake (2006) starring Alan Rickman, Sigourney Weaver and Carrie-Anne Moss. I highly recommend to watch it, it's absolutely wonderful.**

 **Thank you for reading this fic and for your reviews and follows. If you liked the story, please, check out my other fics (only one of them is abandoned) too! The Other World is in the making and it is much longer and more complex than this one.**

 **Oh, I almost forgot to mention the Easter egg in the story: Adele's last name is an anagram ;)**


	6. Farewell

_**Dear Alan Rickman,**_

 _ **may your soul rest in peace.**_

 _ **Always.**_


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